Two mainstays on the downtown nightlife scene, Pravda and KGB, have recently reopened as cafes in response to the restrictions placed upon bars throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Pravda and KGB had been closed since March.
Dustin Cook, who is the co-owner of both locations with his wife, Edie Senter, said that at the start of the pandemic they were in the process of looking at spaces for a new concept, a cafe that would feature coffee from La Colombe Coffee Roasters. It soon became clear that those plans would have to be put on hold, or at least modified.
"We decided to focus on our existing spaces,” Cook said. “Both at Pravda and KGB, we have created comfortable and spacious rustic coffee houses, where we look forward to welcoming new customers and our loyal crowd back for our new offerings."
In addition to La Colombe coffee, the newly reinvented Pravda Cafe and KGB Cafe each offer fresh, flavorful eats from another local business, Spoonfed Kitchen & Bakeshop.
The partnership with La Colombe makes the cafes the exclusive carrier of a variety of cold brew coffees, draft lattes, and hand-crafted coffee drinks and teas from the Philadelphia-based roaster.
In joining with Spoonfed Kitchen, 1930 Eastwood Road, the cafes are able to offer a variety of grab-and-go items including superfood salad bowls, tuna and chicken salad, pasta dishes and other small plates. They will also serve a variety of baked goods.
"We met Spoonfed's co-owner, Kim Lennert, when we worked together to host a fundraiser at KGB for the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County," said Edie Senter. "She provided the food and we were impressed with how delicious her dishes tasted. When we started to talk about a new vision for Pravda and KGB, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to bring Spoonfed's food to the downtown Wilmington community."
Cook and Senter have owned and operated Pravda, 23 N. Front St., for 13 years and KGB, at 16 Princess St., for six years. Over a career spanning 25 years, Cook managed coffee shops in New York, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia prior to moving to Wilmington. Senter, prior to becoming a DJ, worked in New York's famous Union Square Cafe and Chadwick Beverly Hills.
Booths inside Pravda Cafe are separated by curtains, making for a cozy space to sip and chat, while outside customers can relax in comfortable red velvet chairs and enjoy the fresh air.
KGB offers a courtyard with three tiers of socially distanced wrought iron tables, as well as indoor seating.
"We hope that after the COVID-19 pandemic, we can operate the cafes throughout the day and reopen our lounges again in the evenings," said Cook. "Right now, we are focused on launching the cafes and serving wholesome food and handcrafted beverages to our customers in a spacious, relaxing environment."
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